Francesca’s father is a well-known painter in the bustling port city of Amsterdam; he is also a gambler. Though their household is in economic chaos, thankfully the lessons she learned in his studio have prepared her to study with Johannes Vermeer, the master of Delft. When she arrives to begin her apprenticeship, Francesca is stunned to find rules, written in her father’s hand, insisting that she give up the freedoms she once enjoyed at home- including her friendship with Pieter van Doorne, a tulip merchant. Unaware of a terrible bargain her father has made against her future, Francesca pursues her growing affection for Pieter even as she learns to paint like Vermeer, in layers of light. As her talent blooms, “tulip mania” sweeps the land, and fortunes are being made on a single bulb. What seems like a boon for Pieter instead reveals the extent of the betrayal of Francesca’s father. And as the two learn the true nature of the obstacles in their path, a patron of Francesca’s father determines to do anything in his power to ensure she stays within the limits that have been set for her. The Golden Tulip brings one of the most exciting periods of Dutch history alive, creating a page-turning novel that is as vivid and unforgettable as a Vermeer painting.
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It is interesting, kept me reading through the whole book, but... it's a bit long. Could have benefited if Rosalind had decided to tell the story of only one of the girls. All their stories could have been an independent book. It's a bit trope-y, but it was written 1991 (or first published), so I suppose they wouldn't have been quite that trope-y at that time :-D
“To call on Master Rembrandt. I've got that new book on Caravaggio that he wants to read.”
Surely not.
Giovanni Baglione's Le vite de' pittori, 1642
Oh... so it could be possible! Wow!
“She was unaware of the extent to which her face had taken on an unusual and striking beauty, for she saw no symmetry in her features such as she admired in others and she was dismissive of compliments. Yet there was a haunting, fascinating quality to her expressive visage that Hendrick had long recognized in his paintings of her, and which was further enhanced by her lustrous green eyes, the upper lids weighed down by thick lashes. Her nose was narrow with delicately flaring nostrils and her neck was long, giving her a swanlike poise. Her cheekbones were wide, as was her mouth, but her lips were curved and her complexion was smooth as creamy silk.”
Ugh.
The guy bought tulip bulbs which are probably VERY expensive and the maid says “OK”, and takes them, VERY WELL AWARE OF THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD THEM! She should have told the man to take them back because master doesn't have any money.
So a pregnant woman falls, hits herself and goes into labor.
About 1/3 of the book later, a pregnant woman falls, hits herself and goes into labor.
Ok, so things like that happen. But twice in the same book? No.
Jan Vermeer probably didn't use camera obscura at all. How would I know?
1) there wasn't no camera obscura boxes, rooms or lenses in his house when he died
2) he puts details in the paintings that weren't there in real life, like tiles on the floor
3) there are pin marks in his paintings corresponding where chalk lines would have been in the elementary 1 vanishing point perspective
4) it was too dark in the rooms for camera obscura. It needs a LOT of light, usually it was used only outside in strong sunlight.
So, she couldn't write, and she refused the offer of using Jan Vermeer as her messenger, because she was waiting for Willem de Hartog... because “I don't want to cause any bone of contention between you and Geetruyd”. What? How would she have known? Uh. Problems just to have problems.
“There will be no more meals served to the master on trays. He's not an invalid.”
He isn't? He lost his legs in an accident, invalid is exactly what he is! :-D
